


hope that you're good to me

by stardusting



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, M/M, Pining, Post-What Makes the Sky Blue III: 000 (Granblue Fantasy), Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-16 12:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18094370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardusting/pseuds/stardusting
Summary: Trust is needed for a relationship to grow.





	hope that you're good to me

**Author's Note:**

> I've been shipping san/gran since the Paradise Lost event did its first run but I was very new to gbf when that happened and was too nervous to write anything. Now I'm over it (a little), so take this food; I'm so desperate for content for this ship. I hope I did okay.
> 
> The title is taken from [Would That I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsu5ZZwzFyk) by Hozier

There isn’t much to do aboard the _Grandcyphe_ r today—caught between locations as they are, the crew’s travel is a steady and relatively undisturbed thing. The destination is an aimless one; an odd calm compared to just a few months prior when the end of all things was nearly heralded by beings wishing for too much power.

Sandalphon wonders if he ought to be more worried about the nearly out of place tranquility that's been following them the past few days, but he's been traveling with the crew for over a year now. Close calls are frequent, more than he'd like, but he knows these people well enough now not to be too worried. All of them are tenacious individuals in their own ways. And now, all of them are relaxed and taken with their own activities, enjoying the lull from constant activity for once. A few of them mill the deck of the airship, enjoying the pleasant weather, the captain and Sandalphon himself included.

Gran is one of the few actually busy, however, having spent a better part of the day flitting from person to person to figure out if new team structures are needed to account for new members and older members steadily getting stronger. Sandalphon must have been his last stop given that, though their conversation is over, Gran has yet to dart off to find someone else to question. He’s stopped minding the captain’s presence perhaps longer than he’d readily admit.

Gran is calm during the most taxing of the situation; a day like today makes him practically soothing to be around.

“I want to try something.”

Gran’s softly voiced words easily break through the idle bubble of Sandalphon’s thoughts. He turns to look and sees brown eyes gleaming near gold in the sunlight—something in the way they shine urges Sandalphon to humor him.

“No one’s stopping you.” He doubts anyone on the crew can stop their captain from doing anything, besides maybe Lyria and Vyrn if they too weren’t always caught up in each other’s antics.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have been so vague.” There’s amusement edging into Gran’s tone, but he continues without a hitch of laughter. “I want to try something with _you_ if you don’t mind.”

The primarch blinks, curious. He’s used to Gran asking for favors, usually, either battle or coffee oriented, however. “What do you need me to do?”

His question doesn’t get an answer because Gran decides to begin the task regardless; he grabs the airship’s railing and hefts himself on top of it. Sandalphon’s reaction is immediate, instinctual in the way he grabs hold of Gran’s hand, so he doesn’t topple off the side, gentle too so there isn’t an accident via jostling. Sandalphon’s grip tightens as his fool of a captain commences a balancing act that no one asked for; the danger of it leaves his heart pounding—humans are fragile beings. He isn't sure why Gran thought doing this would be a good idea.  

Sandalphon briefly looks around, satisfied to see that no one seems to be aware of their situation, but he keeps his voice pitched low in a fierce whisper regardless. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Gran doesn’t seem to mind the danger he’s in, fearless in the face of falling to the unseen depths below; he smiles, bright like the sun at its zenith. “I knew you wouldn’t let me fall.”

The angel is taken aback once more, caught off guard by the genuine openness of Gran’s words, of his confidence and trust placed in someone who once wished for his death. It’s not something Sandalphon feels he has a right to just yet.

He shakes the thoughts from his head and presses his lips into a disapproving line. “That’s beside the point. What if I hadn’t been here?”

“I wouldn’t have done this without you.” Gran sounds insistent and sure but continues too fast for Sandalphon to fully process the meaning behind those words. Gran tugs gently at their joined hands, free arm held out at his side to keep balanced though he doesn't waver; those dancer lessons must have paid off outside of battle. “Come up here; it’s weird being taller than you.”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Don’t be silly, Sandalphon; you always have a choice.”

He can’t refute that; time spent on the _Grandcypher_ has allowed the primarch to learn that much about how everyone interacts with each other. With Gran as a captain, no one is strictly beholden to any orders; Gran doesn't even like using the word _orders_ and rarely raises his voice above a shout, though he has the occasions to be commanding when he needs to be just the same. It's freedom in a simple sense with members of the crew coming and going whenever they need or wish too. Gran doesn't mind their constant shifting numbers. Everyone has a choice to stay or go, to fight or not. 

So, Sandalphon chooses to indulge his captain’s whims, retracting his hand momentarily so that he, too, can stand on the railing. It’s easier for him to accomplish, knowing that if he falls, he has wings to catch him.

Gran has nothing but those around him and even then, that might not be enough when faced with the expanse of the sky.

Sandalphon is quick to grab Gran’s hand again, both this time. Even if his balance was fine during the few short seconds their hands were apart, Sandalphon can't be too careful.  He tells himself that it’s just in case the captain actually does fall, and in part, that is the truth. Gran smiles at him all teeth, and eyes shining, and Sandalphon ignores the warmth spreading across his cheeks and the other part of the truth he isn’t quite ready to voice.

He doesn’t know why they’re up here, but Gran seems content, head turned as if trying to look out toward the distance. There are only clouds and birds from what Sandalphon can tell, not even the gentle whisper of wind, and that’s probably a good thing.

“Why aren’t you afraid of falling?” Sandalphon can’t help but ask. It's a question that's always been at the back of his mind. 

Gran takes to the sky as if he has wings to reach its highest point, and it makes him wonder why his captain, this foolhardy human who has faced primarchs and primals alike, was not born amongst the angels and seraphim with wings of his own. Gran’s wings would be beautiful and maybe his presence would have changed something, but there’s no use wishing and wondering about impossible _what ifs_.

“Because it’s happened before.” Gran says this so easily, brown eyes turned to face Sandalphon once more. “I feel as though falling is the least of my worries these days. Besides, you’re here to catch me if I do.”

“I pushed you once.” _I wanted you dead_ , he doesn’t say, because they both know it’s true.

The kindness and forgiveness and sense of belonging he has faced since joining the crew, since promising to stick with them, is still a strange concept for Sandalphon, who lived in anger and loneliness for millennia, to make proper sense of. He does his best to try to understand but decides that he may never be able to, especially when faced with people like Gran and Lyria. It was easy to take advantage of Gran’s kindness back then, and it would be easy to do so now, and Sandalphon is sure the captain is aware of that. Yet he still puts his whole entire heart out in the open, still trusts Sandalphon to catch him if needed.

Gran's voice is gentle when he asks: “Do you still want to push me?”

Sandalphon shakes his head, briefly tightening the grip on their joined hands. It's something he's seen Katalina do with Lyria during moments the girl was particularly worried or frightened—another form of comfort he was told. It's amazing how small gestures can soothe nerves, perhaps it's the reassurance that comes with not being alone.

“I haven't in a long while.” He admits. “I still haven't thanked you properly for letting me stay.”

Gran smiles and shakes his head. “You don't have to thank me for that. You did so much for us even before then; you keep doing so much for us. I'm happy you're here.”

“I almost didn't come back.” Sandalphon feels the need to let Gran know at least that part of the truth. “A year ago, I wouldn't have. It was peaceful and I was happy.”

Perhaps he will think the primarch a true coward, in the end, someone easily tempted and swayed by emotions. Someone that can and will die for them but can do little else. Someone he should not put his unwavering trust in.

Gran’s expression is contemplative at this moment, always being one to carefully pick his words when he feels something important needs to be said.

“If you stayed we would have been sad, but we wouldn't have blamed you. You deserve any happiness you can find, Sandalphon.” Gran’s voice is soft, softer than it ought to be, softer than he deserves.

Thumb rubbing gentle circles on the back of Sandalphon’s palm, contact warm through his glove. This must be what true forgiveness and belonging feels like, comfort and knowledge of a place to call home, of people to call home.

“I found it here as well.” Sandalphon can say, strongly, proudly, though eye contact is carefully avoided because Gran’s smile is blinding still. “It's a different kind, but I realized that it's no less important.”

The captain seems ready to say something, but the words become halted by the shout of another voice, much closer than expected.

“Gran!” Katalina’s sharp call causes them both to turn around in her direction; Gran startling enough that Sandalphon wonders if he’d have to make due on his promise. “Get off the railing before you slip! We need your help with something!”

“Sorry, Katalina!” Gran’s voice truly is apologetic, a nervous smile tugging at his cheeks. “I'll be right there.”

Sandalphon doesn’t need to be asked to help, gently letting the captain down first and following right after.

“We can talk later, okay? Maybe over coffee.” He doesn’t know why Gran’s voice comes out the way it does, somehow unsure and nervous.

“Decaf, it might be late when you stop by.” Too much coffee isn’t good for humans, he’s heard. Plus, Gran needs more sleep than anyone on this ship, and Sandalphon doesn’t want to be responsible if he isn’t able to get proper rest.

Gran laughs, soft like a summer breeze and smiles like the first flower in bloom. “That's fair.”

They part then, but Gran barely gets four steps away before he turns around, expression determined as he makes his way back over. Sandalphon is ready to ask what’s wrong, but the words die in his throat when he feels arms wrap around his neck and solid weight pressed against him. He has yet to master the art of properly returning hugs but knows enough to rest his arms loosely around Gran’s waist and wait.  

“For what it's worth,” Gran’s words are whispered close for his ears only; the proximity makes heat rise to the tips of his ears. “I'm thankful that you stayed.”

The contact is gone as quick as it came. Gran’s cheeks are pink, but he's still smiling regardless, giving a small wave before making his way towards Katalina. The duo’s conversation is lost once they start walking, Sandalphon left wide-eyed and wondering under the clear blue of the sky.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> I don't have a beta reader, so all mistakes are my own, and I will get to them when I inevitably do a reread of this fic at some point. 
> 
> This is my first time writing for gbf hence the reason why it's more character study than anything. I'm trying to get a feel for Sandalphon and his entire situation and emotions. That's why there's also pining; it's more specifically mutual pining, but I think they'll get there someday. Sandalphon is still trying to figure out who he is because healing isn't a one-way street. I would also like to write them having a conversation about Lucifer one day; perhaps that will be next or I will write something cute and domestic that doesn't make me tear up.
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading. Leave a comment on the way out if you can!


End file.
